Highlights from SEARAC’s 2025 LAT Program

Press Release

Southeast Asian American Leaders Make Their Mark on Capitol Hill

SEARAC Staff

Washington, DC – THANK YOU to everyone who joined us for SEARAC’s 2025 Leadership and Advocacy Training (LAT) program! We were honored to be joined by a diverse cohort of 34 participants, representing 13 different states and ranging in age from 18 to 50. Our cohort included leaders from Cambodian, Hmong, Lao, Mien, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian and ally communities. Over the three-day program, we celebrated the Southeast Asian American legacy, explored the impact of civic engagement on our communities, and empowered a cohort of advocates to share their stories with elected officials. Check out some highlights from the week:

Day 1 kicked things off with a powerful group photo share activity to ground and remind us why we chose to join SEARAC for the LAT 2024 program. Moderated by Mandy Diêc, SEARAC California Deputy Director, participants each brought in a photo of personal significance and shared the story behind it. Participants then split into our issue tracks – education, health, and immigration– and learned more about SEARAC’s policy priorities in each area. Thank you to Krystle Canare, Deputy Director at the National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (NAAPIMHA); Oliver Merino, Immigrant Justice Network Coordinator at Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC); and Nadia Belkin, community engagement exert for serving as facilitators alongside SEARAC staff.

Day 2, participants learned how to tell their stories effectively in a workshop called “Story of Self, Us, and Now,” facilitated by Phun H, SEARAC Communications Manager, and Janessa Reyes, SEARAC Communications Intern. Afterwards, participants had a chance to learn more about advocacy meetings during an advocacy panel that included Gregg Orton, NCAPA National Director; Nisha Ramachandran, Interim President & CEO at the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS); and Tony Tran, Senior Legislative Assistant for US Rep. Derek Tran (CA-45), moderated by Kham S. Moua, SEARAC National Deputy Director. The workshop and panel emphasized the importance of telling our own stories, and with that knowledge, we began crafting our legislative asks for our upcoming meetings on Capitol Hill.


Day 3 was dedicated to our meetings with elected officials. Participants in our three tracks shared their personal stories, connecting these stories towards halting the passage of the budget reconciliation bill, which has many harmful provisions that will impact Southeast Asian American communities. In addition to calling for Congress to vote no on the reconciliation bill, our participants also advocated for issues specific to their track including data disaggregation in education, access to quality health services, and protecting family immigration. 

After the legislative meetings, we closed our LAT 2025 programming with a candle ceremony led by SEARAC Executive Director Quyên Đinh. Together, we shared our hopes for each other, for our community, and for ourselves. Hear directly from some of our participants in these powerful reflections shared following their experience at LAT:

  • “I learned that there is strength in numbers, and that no one can tell our stories better than we can ourselves.” — Pa Der Lee, an LAT participant in SEARAC’s health track and Save Our Youth Coordinator based in Wisconsin
  • “As a queer Southeast Asian American, I’ve often felt like I exist in the gaps — not fully reflected in policies or conversations that shape our lives. It was important to me to remind my elected officials that our communities are here, that we matter, and that the choices they make directly impact families like mine.” — Frederick Tran, an LAT participant in SEARAC’s immigration track and Communications and Development Manager at NQAPIA

We are so incredibly grateful to all of the staff, board members, partners, funders and–most importantly–the participants who made SEARAC’s 2025 LAT a huge success. If you missed out on the opportunity to join this program, stay tuned for information on how you can be part of it in 2026!
This year’s LAT would not have been possible without the generous support of our lead funder, State Farm. We also extend our appreciation to these additional sponsors for their generous support of our rising leaders and the 50th commemoration of Southeast Asian refugee resettlement in the United States:


There is still time for your organization to sponsor SEARAC’s 50th anniversary commemorations this year and beyond! With your support, Southeast Asian Americans nationwide will not just survive, but thrive, over the next 50 years.